Lifeless
by 221bTimelady
Summary: Danny is attacked by a demon that lands him vampirific qualities. Isolated, Danny must learn to adapt to his new abilities and urges. He must learn: With one side ghost, and one side vampire, can he ever be human?
1. Chapter 1

It was a cold, autumn night in Amity Park. Danny strolled along the middle of the rode, stuffing his numb hands into the depths of his black leather jacket. Even after zipping up his light grey hoodie - which he had layered underneath - it was still freezing.

It had been a pretty quiet day, ghost-wise. Danny enjoyed those rare days where he would have no ghost fighting chores to complete, and could just be the normal teenager he used to be. He was actually just on his way back home from Sam's house: the trio had spent their Hallow's eve watching horror movies in Sam's fancy basement theater. Danny thought dreamily of the first decent night's rest he would have in what seemed like forever.

He almost didn't notice the icy breath of air escape his lips.

Danny stopped in his tracks and scanned the area cautiously. Nothing. After about a minute of his suspicions, Danny decided to shrug off his ghost sense, thinking maybe he really could just see his breath. It was undeniably chilly, after all. He kept walking.

It was then he heard a loud smack on the ground behind him. Danny spun around, prepared for battle, yet at the same time fearful of what to expect.

The battered body of an unknown civilian lay before him on the pavement.

A puddle of blood expanded next to his head and neck area. Danny didn't need to take a pulse - the red streaks scattered in the guy's blonde hair, his wide, green, motionless eyes, the crimson stains spotted onto the shoulder of his green hoodie and white v-neck said it all.

"Oh, shit." Danny whispered. It was the only thing he could muster to say. Horrified, Danny backed away slowly. Out of these whole few years of working as a ghost fighter, he realized he had actually never seen a dead body before.

This was mortifying. This was wrong…

This couldn't be the work of a ghost.

Danny had noticed that all ghosts really liked to do was strike terror into the hearts of mortals, but they themselves had never quite injured them directly. Whatever this was, it was dangerous. If it triggered his ghost sense, then this had to be some sort of supernatural being that was capable of attacking both Fenton and Phantom.

He carefully observed his environment once again. Still no one in sight.

Then he ran.

He ran until his lungs were on fire and his body felt nonexistent in the numbing autumn wind, begging him to stop. So he did.

Danny, easily 20 blocks away by now, put his hands on his knees and panted next to the corner wall of an alleyway. Now that he thought of it, he could have just flown this way and it would have been much less exhausting. But then again, Danny wasn't sure of whether or not this "ghost" knew he was a halfa. He was better off not showcasing what a valuable kill he would be.

Once his breath was controlled, Danny stood up straight. It was quiet again. After thinking to himself for a moment, he decided he would head home and immediately call Sam and Tucker. This was a huge, risky situation - not something he could or should keep to himself about.

Suddenly Danny was abruptly pulled into the blackened alleyway by a strong force. Before he knew it, he was pinned against the brick wall, eyes shut tight, teeth gritted, expecting his end. But he just stayed there. Cautiously, he opened one eye.

There was a pair of alarming red eyes scowling back at him. The color almost seemed to glow. Danny flinched at the sight, widely opening both eyes now.

It was a young woman, seemed to be about his age. Perhaps slightly older. Her dark brown hair was completely straight, worn in a ponytail and continuing towards the middle of her back. The girl's bangs were swept to the side, and she wore a black, cropped leather jacket, a black tank top, and black jeans. Her look vaguely reminded him of Sam.

"Aren't you supposed to be the ever-confident Ghost Boy?" she asked casually. If a voice could be velvet, it would be hers.

Danny did not respond. He only struggled to escape her grip. She slammed him up against the wall once again, showing him who was clearly the bigger person.

"Well…" the girl started with a sigh. "Guess you're not as big a talker as they say you are. Do you know who _I _am?"

Danny shook his head slowly and defiantly.

The girl flashed a pearly, fang-toothed smile.

"I'm what's left of your humanity."

Before he knew it, Danny was overcome by an immense, searing pain. The stinging shot from his neck, and rang throughout his entire body. There was nothing he could do but shriek. Danny was stiffened, helpless. Memories flared through his head as he struggled for breath throughout the torment: the flash of the ghost portal, consuming his once mortal body. The Nasty Burger exploding, bringing his family and friends with it. His own mother trying to hunt him down. The feeling of not being understood. Clones of himself, as made by Vlad, consumed by ectoplasmic acidity and ceasing to exist. No thoughts of happiness crossed his mind - only hurt.

Even through the flashbacks, Danny attempted to formulate what was happening: _Where is this even coming from? SHIT, my fucking neck! Oh god, this hurts like hell. Did she… slit my throat? No, wait, her teeth. I feel fangs. Did she just puncture me with those things? What the hell? Is that blood? Shit, shit, shit. There's so much of it. Shit. Am I dying? Fuck. I'M DYING! SHIT! I DIDN'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS!_

As Danny was harshly thrown onto the ground, the last thing he saw was darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny had a rude awakening, to say the least. He felt a sharp pain crescendoing from his toes to his head as he gradually drifted into consciousness. Once there, Danny immediately cringed into a fetal position and shrieked in agony.

He stayed that way for a while, gasping for breath. Thinking. Evaluating.

_Oh god, ow, ow, ow. What the hell was that?_

There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that there was something to worry about.

_Come on, Danny, what happened yesterday?_

He couldn't even remember crawling into bed.

_Wait, this bed can't be mine…_

Eventually, Danny slowly opened his eyes - as if he was seeing the world for the first time.

It was an unfamiliar place. A small, average bedroom, with white walls and a wooden dresser in the corner, of which some clothes were draped over the open drawers. There was a white-doored closet to the left, and sunlight splashing through the window on the right. It felt warm.

A woman came bursting through the bedroom door. She looked concerned, and - unlike the room - familiar.

Then it hit him.

"It's… It's y - you!"

She sighed. "Yes, it is me." She sounded both sarcastic and guilty.

"You… I thought that you killed me! YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!" Danny was hollering now.

"Sshhh! Would you keep it down?! These walls are thin, you know," the girl interjected. "And yes, I know what it LOOKS LIKE I did, but trust me. I'm only here to help. Please, just trust me."

Danny's suspicions only got the best of him.

"Oh yeah, because I should totally trust someone who left me lying in a pool of my own blood."

"Trust me!" she demanded.

"Why should I?" he debated.

"Because I'm also the one who left you lying in that bed."

Danny sighed in slight defeat. "Alright then… I'll listen. How about we start with why you brutally attacked me?"

"It wasn't me." the girl reputed.

Danny raised a questionable eyebrow. "Really now? Sure looked like you." he replied.

"I was possessed. It overtook my body as some sort of… vessel."

Danny was raising both eyebrows now. "By what?"

"I don't know for sure, but…"

She hesitated.

"But…?"

"But… I'm thinking it was some kind of demon."

Danny's racing thoughts and judgements all came to a hault.

"A demon?"

"I know, don't call me crazy or anything, but it's a possibility,"

She must have not recalled the "Ghost Boy" spiel given by whatever possessed her. Danny had encountered ghosts all the time, but had only heard of demons. All he knew was they were the most dangerous, horrible, and mischievous ghosts to exist. They led morally awful after-lives, and if you were ever to be pursued by one, then you'll more than likely lose the battle. Yet here he was.

The girl continued, "Besides, I did go all vampire-y on you apparently, so I don't think demon possession is that far of a stretch, do you?"

"Yeah, you _have_ got a point, there," Danny played along. "So then… Did it actually turn you into a vampire? Why did you - or, it - give you those… red, glowy eyes and fangs?"

"Actually, yes. I think that those are just a couple distinct qualities the demon possesses, therefore it also passes on to whatever person it's possessing,"

The girl gently sat in a wooden chair to the left of Danny's bed.

"As to why its choice of beverage is blood, I think it's some sort of energy source for it, like food is for humans. Blood gives us life, and it's all the same for this 'Demon Dracula' thing. He will stop at nothing to get every last drop for himself."

Danny nodded understandingly, carefully hanging onto every word.

"...Then what made him stop for me?"

The girl paused and bit her lip. She stared blankly at him for a minute.

"Same reason he stopped for me."

It was Danny's turn to pause. He hadn't really thought of the possibility that this girl was a totally normal, young adult, with a family and close friends, maybe working some mediocre job. She must have suffered a lot of pain, not being able to tell them that she had been consumed by this cursed spirit. Paralyzed within her body for who knows how long she may have been. He hoped those family and friends were still living.

"And… what reason would that be?"

"I... think he chooses to spare specific lives. Lives that he sees something special and deep-rooted in. Like there's some valuable spark he finds within you. And instead of killing them, he… transfers."

"…Pardon?"

The girl sighed. "Okay, so, a lot of times when people picture a soul possessing another soul, they think of something like an invisible little spirit diving into their chosen body - like a little game of soul tag. Or something along those lines. Well, this demon does things differently," she explained. "Instead of invading the soul, its chosen way of transfer is to simply invade your bloodstream. Once he bites your neck, he doesn't necessarily aim to drain you. He wants to infect your stream with his own blood. And then, bam - a week or two later, and you are literally demonized."

Danny's heart began to race in a panic. He knew exactly what was coming.

"So, Danny… I'm really, very, very sorry… but… now, he's chosen you."

He tensed up at the words he was thinking of, finally said aloud.

He hated when he was right.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm so sorry I've done this to you," the girl whispered, seeming to tear up now.

A moment of silent despair was shared between the two.

"…How long had it been?" Danny questioned quietly, breaking the silence.

"Sorry?" she replied, sniffing up the tears.

"I mean, how long were you infected? You know a lot about how this works, so it must've been… a long time…"

"Oh… well… it must have been months. Maybe longer," she answered. "It's not like I'm trapped inside my own body while the demon does the work or anything. At least, not all the time,"

Danny gulped.

"In fact, for the most part, you'll still be yourself. Thus is why you are still speaking to me now. You know, as yourself," she continued.

_Oh, yeah. I am, _Danny thought. He was under the impression that this process would be gradual, and that - over time - his body would simply surrender to the demon.

"So when _does_ the demon take over, then?" he asked.

"All I can say is, whenever you feel a craving for blood, that's him. Banging on your soul's door. My advice? Don't let him inside. You've got to suppress the temptation, and lock that door. Otherwise, you're gonna be doing some things you'll regret," she said sternly, and matter-of-factly. "It will be hard, and it may hurt you. But you have to remind yourself that the more he drinks, the stronger he gets, and the better he'll be at winning against you. Don't do what I did. I let my guard down. Now look where we are."

Danny nodded with a determined expression. "I understand."

"Good," the girl replied, and stood up. "You want water or food or something? You've been sleeping for a while."

"Uh, yeah, sure. How long've I been out?"

"About… 3 days?"

Danny sat up startlingly.

"3 DAYS?!" he hollered.

"Calm down!" the girl asserted.

"MY PARENTS ARE GOING TO KILL ME DEAD!"

"Oh, stop over-exaggerating!"

"I AM NOT EXAGGERATING!"

"Shhh! Thin walls!" the girl whispered loudly.

"You couldn't even call them?!" Danny argued, seeming to disregard the comment.

"I don't even know your name, how could I?!"

"I don't know yours!"

"It's Alice!"

"Mine's Danny!"

Alice stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Danny ran his fingers back through his ruffled, jet black hair and laid back onto the bed, exhausted from his rapidly building worries. He put both hands over his face.

_How can I possibly keep both this AND my ghost powers secret? What if the demon gets too strong and I drain mom and dad? And Jazz? Or Tucker? Or even… Sam? _

His heart dropped at the thought.

_...What if I vamp-out at school and people see my eyes and fangs? People will think I'm a total freak! Just like if they find out I'm Danny Phantom… Wait… How will these vampire abilities work along with my ghost powers? …Am I human at all anymore?_

Now he felt a cold hand over his heart. These are the questions that burned through Danny's mind as Alice opened the door, carrying his glass of water.

"Here ya go." she said, setting it on a bedside table.

"Thanks… So, is there any way to, uh… knock this thing out of me?" Danny asked with a nervous chuckle, attempting to physically conceal the darker, bitter thoughts that were squirming within.

"Well, it's like I said: Only if the demon gets his sights on another person and decides to transfer. Then you'll be your totally human self again,"

Danny raised a smug eyebrow. Alice misinterpreted.

"Oh, please. Don't let him overtake you just because you're in the hopes that he'll decide to do this. It's all chance. If you feel an urge, it'll only do one of two things: Kill someone, or possess them,"

She sat back down in the wooden chair and continued, "Besides, by the time he does decide to move on, you'll feel awful that you made someone else live as this… horrible creature. For who knows how long they'll have to. And you'll never know if he ever even moves on from _that_ person, because they're just an innocent stranger you'll probably never see again,"

Alice was tearing up again now, her voice becoming hollow with sorrow.

"And not only that, but you'll keep having those nightmares… The looks on people's faces… Their screams and cries for the help they'll never receive… But it wasn't your fault! You had no control! You were frozen! Inside your own body, you were paralyzed! You would have helped if you could, but there was nothing you could do - only watch! And learn from your mistakes!"

Her voice was quivering now.

"And the red… That's all you'll ever remember, the crimson red… Everywhere, all the time. Some mornings you'll wake up with that salty, metallic taste on your tongue,"

Danny started to breathe heavily at the thought. His canine teeth began to ache.

_No, no, no. My soul is sealed, you bastard. _

"…And you'll be disgusted by it, and by what you are. You won't even remember why or what you did the night before, but it happened! Then eventually you'll realize, this wasn't the demon's doing - this was YOU! EVERYONE YOU KILLED, IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT! BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T POWERFUL ENOUGH! THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED TO CHARLIE OR ANYBODY IF YOU COULD'VE JUST BEEN STRONG!"

She was rampaging. Alice suddenly stood up and flipped her chair over violently, just enough to crack the right bar of the backrest. She fell to her knees and flew her hands onto her face. The floodgates had officially been opened. Danny was horrified. Not only by the things she had so vividly depicted, but how to respond to the given situation.

He pulled back the covers, and softly placed his feet onto the blank carpet. He crept his way over to Alice, and lightly embraced his arms around her. They stayed this way for a while, until Alice reduced only to the occasional sniffle. Danny rocked her back and forth comfortingly.

"I forgive you," he breathed. "It's not your fault… You're forgiven."

"Just… promise me that you won't let him in, Danny. That you won't let him win." Alice whispered desperately in reply.

She could feel Danny's chin move up and down .

"Cross my heart…" he vowed, listening to each pulse of her heartbeat as if it were his favorite song. Hearing the stream of blood tumbling and rumbling throughout her veins - as if he were lying next to a raging river, and he was one with its nature.

"And hope to…" Danny could feel himself leaning into her. He felt limp, as if he was under anesthesia. He was in a trance. He was losing himself.

_DANNY, SNAP OUT OF IT!_

That was just background noise now.

Danny moved in closer. And closer. His lips were just meeting her fragile skin.

And out of nowhere, he felt a great force driven into his chest. Danny jumped and felt his teeth retract immediately. He also noticed a subtle tint of red gradually fading back into his normal colored vision. They were quiet. He knew what had happened. With a brief, guilty, sympathetic look at Alice, who was glaring at him now, both frightened and disgusted, he looked down.

It seemed that Alice had torn off the broken bar of the wooden chair, and stabbed it through his heart.

Oddly, after the silence, Danny's first reaction was to laugh. He couldn't help but allow himself a bitter laugh over the whole ordeal. Alice kept staring at him strangely, along with her "how-could-you" expression.

Once Danny was finished, he joyfully exhaled.

"Ahhh… Feared on earth and wanted in the Ghost Zone? You've lost, Ghost Kid... Lost."

Danny fell to the floor with a smile, which slowly faded.


End file.
